What Does a Successful IT Interview Look Like?
Posted January 30th, 2017
Often, it is hard to determine exactly what makes an interview a success. If you add a technical interview to the mix, and it can feel downright impossible. Regardless of your prior experience or education, it is difficult to prepare for what these interviews have to offer. So, it’s no wonder that even the strongest candidates can stumble when faced with an empty whiteboard.
But sometimes, even when you feel fairly confident in your performance, it is still hard to know what a successful interview truly looks like. To help you assess your past performances, and prepare you for your next one, here are a few signs that you may have actually nailed the technical interview portion of the process.
You Answered Correctly
Technical interviews are like a pop quiz and, just like any other test, sometimes there are clearly right (or wrong) answers. In cases where the answer is fairly black and white, getting the right answer onto the board can be considered a checkmark in the win column. Even if your preferred method of attacking the problem isn’t what the interviewer(s) would have done, as long as your process is sound and current by today’s technological standards, don’t overly concern yourself with the details.
You can also increase your odds of getting the answer correct before you go into a technical interview by thoroughly reviewing the job posting. If certain job skills are clearly listed, like programming languages or development cycles, then make sure to review these key areas before grabbing that whiteboard marker.
Resources like old college textbooks or free online classes can help you dust the cobwebs off of skills you might not have used in a while. Then, you can be prepared as possible to manage the tasks as they are presented.
Focus on Clarity
A technical interview is partially a presentation. You’ll likely be asked to explain your thought process as you write information up on the board, so those who can easily articulate their methods and the logic behind their reasoning may be deemed more successful than other candidates.
These questions are designed to allow others to see how you think under pressure, so you want to be able to talk them through everything with a reasonable amount of polish. If the interviewer seems engaged, you could be well on your way to the technical interview winners circle.
Control Your Writing
While your penmanship doesn’t have to be immaculate, it does need to be legible. If you find yourself struggling with various forms of chicken scratch, you likely didn’t make the strongest impression. But, as long as the interviewers can read what you wrote, you probably did fine.
Most interviewers understand that writing on a whiteboard isn’t comfortable. Additionally, it probably isn’t something you do every day. No one expects beautiful calligraphy in these situations, so don’t stress yourself any more than you already are. Instead, make sure to take your time when you write so that it generally looks decent. Often, that’s enough.
By managing the three areas of your technical interview as covered above, you can generally feel pretty good about how things turned out. But do remember, technical interviewing is a skill just like a traditional interview is; you can get better with practice. So, if you have concerns about your technical interviewing prowess, dedicate some time to a dress rehearsal or two, whiteboard and all. As you become more familiar with the format, your level of confidence will increase and can lead to better results.
If you would like additional tips about technical interview success or are looking for a new job opportunity, the professionals at Bayside Solutions can help. Contact us and see what is available in your area today.
